Switch device for the production of luminous signs



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Aug. 27, 1929. v s 1,726,348

SWITCH DEVICE FOR THE QRODUCTION OF LUIINOUS SIGNS Filed Dec. 1925 Fiaigl. 12 I Fig; 2.

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Patented Aug. 27, 1%29.

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MAX nnnsn, or B'UCHSGHLAG, NEAR rnnn-nroar-on-rnnaain, GER-MANY, AS-

srenoa 'ro WERBEL-ICI-IT A-KTIENGESELLSCHA'FT, or rn'ennroar-on-rrrnmnnv,

GERMANY.

SWITCH DEVICE FOR, THE PRODUCTION OF LUMINOUS SIGNS.

Application filed Becemoer 4, 1325, Serial No. 73,285, and in Germany December 9, 1924.

The present application relates to an electric controlling arrangement for moving and changing signs, such as are employed for advertising and other purposes, and which employ travelling selecting devices for lighting and extinguishing periodically electric lamps and other current-consuming devices associated with said signs.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel form of selecting device constructed as chains orbands composed of hinged letters, signs or the like, the projections or depressions of which serve only as operative actuating surfaces for causing the movement of sliding bolts or similar devices, whereby electrical circuits are established and broken in a predetermined sequence. It is to be distinctly understood that the moving letters do not themselves carry any electrical current.

Other objects will appear in connection with the specification and drawings which form a part of the present application.

In the said figures, Figure 1 shows, in section, a part of the arrangement illustratingv one exemplification of the present invention;

Fig. 2 shows a modification of the arrangement in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detailed elevational view of the manner of attaching letters to the travelling belt or conveyor that moves them past the contactmaking devices;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a further modific tion embodying the present invention;

Fig. 5 illustrates still another modification of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a further modification in which a number of resilient metallic filaments or bristles are employed to actuate the contact-forming members of the device.

Devices for the production of moving and changing signs for advertising and other purposes are already known wherein a series of these contact points directly efiecting the closing or opening of the circuit.

If for this purpose a perforated band of insulating material is used, through the openings of which the circuit is closed in the known manner whilst on advancing the holes and the band the circuit is opened the band is in course of time damaged by the sparks occurring when the circuit is broken. If the band is made of flammable material, for example a film band, there is liability to fire.

If metal members are used which are formed into a chain, this chain, as it conducts currents when coming into contact with the circuits, causes the operators to be exposed to danger. Further the rollers and the driving mechanisms, by which the chain is guided, mustbe mounted in insulating bearings which lead to sources of disturbance.

By reason of the sparks which are produced when the circuit is interruptedwear of the contact controlling members is unavoidable so that these must befrequently renewed. The contact poi'ntsare not readily accessible. The contact elements, for example metal balls, are reduced in size by friction and the formation of sparks so that they gradually fall into the device, lock the chain and finally lead to breakage thereof.

Suggestions have been made previously to pass a band havingsmall apertures therein over spring actuated members so that as these spring actuated members come into engagement with the perforations they are adapted to close electric circuits for the purpose of operating relays which in turn control lamp circuits of advertising devices, telegraph transmitting apparatus, a device for puncturing a cinematographic film and so forth. Suggestions have also been made to provide a drum with projections at suitably arranged points which are adapted to actuate contact closing members for the illumination of lamps for advertising purposes.

Now the present invention is more particularly applicable to advertising devices in which a contact closing member is moved over cooperating contacts so that an apparentcontinuous translational movement is given tothe words or the likedisplayed by the sign. As stated above the letters, characters or signs in such a device form part of the electric circuit and are thus liableto be damaged by the sparks and other-actions produced by theelectric current so that they require trequentreplacing and repair inasmr'ich as the electric circuits of several hundreds of such elements are opened and closed some hundred times in a minute.

According to the present invention the millimeters.

travelling selecting devices are constructed as chains or bands composed of hinged letters not forming a part of the electric circuits, the projections or depressions of which serve only as operating surfaces for upwardly sliding members or bolts which prepare the electric circuits.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing showing several forms of construction of the subject of the invention.

Figure 1 shows an example of construction. On a base plate 1 slides a transport member 2 (band or chain). In the example illustrated the contact controlling members 3 such as letters, characters or the like are shown as proj ecting upwardly from the transport member The plate lis a plate connected to the base plate 1 which is provided with as many holes as there are signal circuits. In this plate 4 are provided the bolts 5 and'G. These bolts are preferably of spherical shape at their lower endand at the upper end are provided with a small projection. They are of only such a size that the spherical part projects by about 1.5 millimeters belowthe plate 4.

The contact controlling members 3 have an inclined surface at their front edge so that when moved upwardly from the plane of the paper the spherical ends of the bolts 5, 6 will be raised smoothly through the distance of 1.5

of 1.5 millimeters. I In order to ensure the passage of current to these pins 8 there is provided between the head of each pin 8 and the plate 9 a small pressure spring indicated in the drawing by a small black dots. The pressure springs are adapted simultaneously to lightly press the bolts 5 and-6 against the transport member 2 provided with the members 3. The magnitude of the pressure can be adjusted during operation by the parallel raising or lowering of the plate 9. Opposite the pins 8 there are arranged at a distance therefrom current outflow wires 10, the distance accurately corresponding with the stroke of the bolts 5 (namely for example 1.5 millimeters.) These wires 10 are secured in a plate 11 which may be of insulating material or metal. In the latter case the wires 10 are resiliently guided in soft rubber sleeves 12. The plate 11 is hingedly mounted by means of a hinge 13; it may be adjusted during operation by means of screws 14.

On the passage of the members 3 the movable bolts 5 are actuated and the pins 8 which 5 indicates two bolts in the partake of this movement come into contact with the upper wires 10 which in turn lea-d the current to the point of consumption. When the bolts 5 descend into the lowermost position and there is a corresponding movement of the pins 8 the current is interrupted. In order to prevent the pins 8 and wires 10 sticking during the upward movement and when closing the circuit the insulating disc 7 is made of resilient insulating material such as rubber or the like. The bolts 5 and 6 can be constructed of a hard but light insulating material such as hard rubber or of a hard light metal such as aluminum. The pins 8 are conmembers 3 and the bolts 5 and 6 are only adapted to fulfill a mechanical operation according to the invention, the running surface of the transport member 2, of the bolts 5 and 6 and of'the members 3 may be lubricated with oil for the purpose of reducing friction and wear and the running parts are thus protected against wear. The spacially separated actual contact device may be separately arranged and capable of being raised so that the contacts may be cleaned and adjusted during operation. It is also possible in the case of necessity to use a known spark extinguishing arrangement for example air.

According to Fig. 2 the bolts 5 and 6 can be inclined towards the direction of movement of the members 3 for the purpose of utilizing or rendering harmless the frictional components.

As in accordance with the present invention the members 3 and their transport member 2 are not required, as in the known devices, to eifect the direct supply of current, a part of the installation can be made light in weight. For this purpose the members 3 and the transporting member or the chain links can be constructed of light metal or of a nonmetallic light material such as compressed paper, hard rubber or the like. These substances need only be sufliciently hard so that they will not be affected by the friction of the spherical bolts. I In these cases the bolts 5, 6 and pin 8 can be constructed of a single light piece of metal which similar to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is connected to the current conducting plate 9. The insulating member 7 is then unnecessary.

The members 3 of light metal, hard rubber or the like can in accordance with Fig. 3

be secured by clove-tail connections to the chain link 2. The member 3 and the chain link 2 can also be constructed from a single piece of hard rubber or light metal. In this case the tensional stresses which become excessive and which are liable to occur when drawing the members 3 through the guide path, are eliminated in that the links 2 are drawn positively through the guide path by means of a single or double row of driving members such as teeth or projections, for en'- gagement between the members, secured to a transport device such as an auxiliary chain. Fig. 4 shows a method of construction wherein a perforated band 2 is used as the operating member. In this case the contact is not made by lifting but by lowering the bolts 5 and the contact points of the two contact pins are made of suitable hook shape or are constructed in any other suitable manner.

Fig. 5 shows a further modification of the construction in accordance with the present invention, wherein a perforated band or ribbon 2 is used as the movable transporting member, the said band 2 being guided be tween two perforated plates 1 and 4, respectively. The said plates 1 and at are provided with corresponding perforations so that the upper bolts 5, which are provided with substantially spherical lower ends, will be accurately aligned with the lower bolts 6. The latter bolts 6 and the perforated band 2 are made of an insulating materiahare integral with and form the actual contactunaking pins. The upper bolts 5 by passing freely through the perforations 1n the band 2 exert sufficient pressure thereon. The contact is actually produced between the bolts 8 and the wires 10. In case the perforated band 2 is made of metal, in every case the lower bolts 6, as shown in Fig. 5, first press upon the contact-pins 8, which thereupon close the contact at the point 15.

A further modification of the inventlon is shown in Fig. 6. Referring back for the moment to Fig. 5, it shouldbe noted that in the construction therein shown the upper bolts 5 are merely provided for the purpose of being placed resiliently against the perforated transporting band so that it becomes possible to simplify the construction by replaoingthe bolts 5 by inclined and resilient metallic wires or bristles of a hard brush. These wires or bristles may partake of the movement of the I I band, moving at the same speed as the latter,

for the purpose of reducing the friction between the said band and the bristles. As shown in Fig. 6, the bristles 5 are assembled in the form of an endless belt 17, which moves in the direction of movement of the transporting band 2, being preferably driven by the same driving devices, while the bristles are placed against the perforated band to a sufficient extent by means of an adjustable pressing device 16. This pressing device 16 may consist of a shoe placed against the belt 17 by means of suitable springs, as shown in the figure. The wires or bristles, which are pressed through the open holes in the band 2, will then press upon the lower resilient bolts 6, when passing these, and the said bolts 6 thereupon, by actuating the lower bolts, will produce contact at the point 15 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the other figures.

Obvious modifications such as would lie within the skill of the mechanic and rearrangement of the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 6, providing that the same results are produced, are to be considered as within the scope of the present invention, for which I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States the following:

1. In a sign controller having a plurality of signal circuits, means for closing said circuits in predetermined.order comprising a moving transport member carrying signs, a plurality of bolt-like members adapted to be moved as predetermined by said transport member, conducting pins movable by said bolts, conducting means engageable by said pins to close said circuits, and a plate-like member supporting said conducting means and adjustable during the operation of said device.

2. In a sign controller having a plurality of signal circuits, means for closing said circuits comprising a plurality of bolt-like members that form one side of an electrical circuit, an equal number of contacts forming the other side of the electrical circuit, spherical-ended actuating members for moving the bolt-like members, insulating materials interposed betweensaid actuating and bolt-like members, and traveling means for raising said actuating members at predeterminedintervals so as to cause electrical contact to take place between the bolt-like members and the electrical contacts aforesaid, and means for returning said bolts and actuating members to their original position.

3. In a sign controller having a plurality of signal circuits, means for closing said circuits comprising a plurality of bolt-like members that form one side of an electrical circuit, an equal number of contacts forming the other side of the electrical circuit, spherical-ended actuating members for moving the bolt-like members, insulating materials interposed between said actuating and bolt-like members, and traveling means for raising said actuating members at predetermined intervals so as to cause electrical contact to take place between the bolt-like members and the electrical contacts aforesaid, and means for returning said bolts and actuating members to their original position, said means comprising springs surrounding said bolt-like members.

4. In a sign controller having a plurality of signal circuits, means for closing said circuits comprising a plurality of inclined boltlike members that form one side of an electrical circuit, an equal number of contacts forming the other side of the electrical circuit, spherical-ended actuating members for moving the inclined bolt-like members, insulating material interposed between said actuating and bolt-like members, and traveling means for raising said actuating members at predetermined intervals so as to cause electrical contact to take place between the inclined bolt-like members and the electrical contacts aforesaid, and means for returning said bolts and actuating. members to their original position, said means comprising springs surrounding said bolt-like members.

5. In a sign controller having a plurality of signal circuits, means for closing said circuits comprising a plurality of bolt-like members and forming one side of an electrical circuit, an equal number of contacts forming the other side of the electrical circuit, sphericalended actuating members for moving the bolt-like members, insulating materials in terposed between said actuating and bolt-like members, and traveling means for raising said actuating members at predetermined intervals so as to .cause electrical contact to take place between the bolt-like members and the electrical contacts aforesaid, and means for returning said bolts and actuating members to their original position, said means comprising springs surrounding said bolt-like members.

6. In a sign controller having a plurality of electrical circuits, means for closing said circuits which comprise a plurality of boltlike contact closing members, an insulated electrically conducting plate through which said members pass, electrical contacts with which said members contact to close the electrical circuit and means for actuating said bolt-like members.

7. In a sign controller having a plurality of electrical contacts, the combination of traveling selecting devices for actuating said contacts, thesaid actuating devices comprising chains or bands composed of hinged letters having projections thereon, said projections serving as operating surfaces cooperating with sliding bolt-like members through the agency of which said electrical contacts are closed, said bolt-like members being insulated from said contacts.

8. In a sign controller having a plurality of electrical contacts, the combination of traveling selecting devices for actuating said contacts, the said actuating devices comprising chains or bands composed of hinged letters, having depressions thereon, said depressions serving as operating surfaces cooperating with sliding bolt-like members through the agency of which said electrical contacts are closed, said bolt-like members being insulated from said contacts.

9. In a sign controller having a plurality of electrical circuits, the combination of traveling selecting devices for actuating said circuits, the said actuating devices comprising chains or bands composed of hinged metallic letters having projections thereon, said projections acting merely as operating surfaces cooperating with sliding bolt-like members through the agency of which the electrical circuits are closed, and insulating material mounted at one end of said bolt-like members to prevent electrical contact between the current-carrying portions of the controller and the said metallic letters.

10. In an electrical sign controller having a plurality of electrical circuits actuated by moving metallic selecting members, means for preventing electrical contact between said metallic members and said circuit closing members, said means comprising insulating material interposed between said metallic selecting members and said circuit closing members.

11. In an electric sign controller comprising a plurality of electrical circuits, means for closing said circuits comprising an insulating metallic plate, bolt-like contact members passing through said plate and connected to one side of the electrical circuit thereby, electrical contacts cooperating with said boltlilre members, resilient means for normally keeping said bolt-like members out of contact with the contact members, sphericalended lifting members for moving said boltlike members, insulating material between said spherical-ended members and said boltli re members, and moving means for lifting said spherical-ended members andbolt-like members whereby electrical contact in the circuits is established.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

MAX IIAASE, 

